Semiconductor device with an improved solder joint

ABSTRACT

A semiconductor device with an improved solder joint system is described. The solder system includes two copper contact pads connected by a body of solder and the solder is an alloy including tin, silver, and at least one metal from the transition groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA of the Periodic Table of the Elements. The solder joint system also includes, between the pads and the solder, layers of intermetallic compounds, which include grains of copper and tin compounds and copper, silver, and tin compounds. The compounds contain the transition metals. The inclusion of the transition metals in the compound grains reduce the compound grains size and prevent grain size increases after the solder joint undergoes repeated solid/liquid/solid cycles.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related in general to the field ofmetallurgical systems with application to electronic systems andsemiconductor devices, and more specifically to methods for controllingintermetallic grain sizes at the solder joint of semiconductor products.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

When integrated circuits on semiconductor chips are to be interconnectedto external circuitry on a substrate using reflow materials such assolder, or when packaged semiconductor chips have to be interconnectedto boards using reflow solders, the parts to be assembled have toundergo at least one temperature rise to a temperature above the meltingtemperature of the reflow material, followed by a cooling cycle. Aftercompleting this process, the finished assembly often has to be subjectedto annealing steps—repeated temperature swings for an extended period oftime. And the assembled parts frequently have to be tested to determinetheir reliable functioning after repeated exposure tofailure-accelerating conditions such as extreme temperature excursionsand elevated humidity.

The failure mechanisms studied since the early development ofreflow-assembled parts were predominantly stress-induced joint fatigue,creep and cracking. Similarly, stress-initiated failures have been atthe center of research attention for complete device, packages assembledon external parts using reflow materials such as solder. Littleattention has been directed towards the progressive changes in theassembly joints caused by intermetallic effects such as metalinterdiffusions, compound formation, and lattice mismatches. Thesechanges are particularly pronounced, for certain metals and may beirreversible and may contribute to diminished reliability of finisheddevices.

In particular, copper pads in direct contact with solder have been foundto exhibit weaknesses, especially in mechanical shock (“drop”) tests.One solution has been the implementation of a nickel layer as adiffusion barrier between copper and solder to limit the solderreaction. However, the added plating process is not practical for largeboards and substrates.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Applicant recognizes the need for high device reliability, including indrop tests; and studied the interface between copper and binary solder,especially tin/silver alloy, under repeated solid/liquid/solid cyclesand under the long term influence of elevated temperatures. Thisinvestigation reveals that, under elevated temperature excursions,originally small-grain intermetallic compounds, which include copper,gradually grow into large-grain compounds, and a large amount ofKirkendall voids form at the interface between solder and, copper. Bothphenomena greatly decrease the interfacial strength of the intermetallicjoint and lead to the solder joint cracks observed after drop tests.

Furthermore, applicant found that tin/silver-based ternary solder alloyscontaining metals from certain transition groups of the Periodic Systemof the Elements have the ability to replace copper in certainintermetallic compounds, resulting in a reduced and constantintermetallic grain size even after repeated solid/liquid/solid cycles,and a reduced, thickness of the intermetallic layer. These effectsgreatly improve the device reliability in drop tests.

One embodiment of the invention is a metal interconnect structure, inwhich two copper contact pads are connected by a body of solder. Thesolder is an alloy that includes tin, silver, and at least one metalfrom the transition groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA of thePeriodic Table of the Elements. Between the pads and the solder arelayers of intermetallic compounds with grains of copper/tin andcopper/silver/tin compounds containing transition metals derived fromthe solder body. The weight percent of transition metals in the solderregions near the contact pads is less than the weight percent oftransition metals in the center regions of the solder body. With theincorporation the transition metals, the compound grains are small andremain small after solid/liquid/solid cycles.

The metals in the transition group IIIA include scandium, yttrium, andlanthanum; in group IVA: titanium, zirconium, and hafnium; in the groupVA: vanadium, niobium, and tantalum; in group VIA: chromium, molybdenum,and tungsten; in group VIIA: manganese and rhenium; and in group VIIIA:iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium,and platinum.

Another embodiment of the invention is a stacked semiconductor deviceincluding a first device and a second device. The first device includesa substrate, a semiconductor chip assembled on one substrate surface,and copper contact pads on the opposite substrate surface. The seconddevice includes a substrate, a semiconductor chip assembled on onesubstrate surface, and copper contact pads surrounding the assembledchip that align with the pads of the first package connected by solder.The second device also has copper contact pads on the opposite substratesurface of the assembled chip.

The bodies of solder are alloys include tin, silver, and at least onemetal from the transition groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA ofthe Periodic Table of the Elements. A layer of intermetallic compoundsis between each copper pad and solder body. The compounds include grainsof copper/tin and copper/silver/tin compounds, which contain transitionmetals from the solder body. Consequently, the transition metal weightpercent in the solder regions near the contact pads is less than theweight percent in the center regions of the solder body. The compoundgrains that include transition metals have small grain size and staysmall after solid/liquid/solid cycles; the invention thus producessemiconductor devices, such as package-on-package stacked devices, whichexhibits much reduced failure rates in reliability tests, such as thedrop tests.

Another embodiment of the invention is an electronic system, which has astacked device soldered on the copper contact pads of a circuit board.The system also has a second stacked device with pads aligned to theboard pads and bodies of alloy solder connect the aligned pads. Thealloy has at least one metal from the transition groups listed above.Again, there are layers of intermetallic compound between the pads andthe solder bodies that incorporate transition metals in grains. Theincorporation reduces the compound grain sizes formed after solderreflow, as well as the compound layer thickness, and renders thecompound grain size reproducibly small after repeated solid/liquid/solidcycles, resulting in much improved system reliability performance.

The technical advances represented by certain embodiments of theinvention will become apparent from the following description of thepreferred embodiments of the invention, when considered in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings and the novel features set forth in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross section of metal interconnect structurebetween two contact pads. In FIG. 1, one contact pad is made of a singlemetal layer; one contact pad is made of a sandwich of layers.

FIGS. 2A to 7D are magnified microphotographs of intermetallic compoundgrains; FIGS. 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 2C, 3C, 4C, 5C, 6C, and 7C are topviews, and FIGS. 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D, and 7D arecross sections.

FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D display Sn₃Ag.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D display Sn₃AgCu.

FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D display Sn₃Ag_(0.01)Ni.

FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, and D5 display Sn₃Ag_(0.03)Ni.

FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D display Sn₃Ag_(0.03)Co.

FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D display Sn₃Ag_(0.1)Zn.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross section of an electronic system includingstacked semiconductor devices assembled on a circuit board.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 depicts schematically a metal interconnect structure Element 101designates a first substrate made of an insulating substrate, a circuitboard, or a semiconductor material. The substrate surface is covered byan insulating material 102, such as a protective overcoat (for example,silicon dioxide, silicon nitride, or polyimide) or a solder mask; thethickness is preferably between about 20 to 40 μm. In overcoat 102 is awindow, which exposes a metallic contact pad 103. The preferred metalfor contact pad 103 is copper or a copper alloy in the thickness rangefrom about 10 to 30 μm.

Element 111 designates a second insulating substrate, a second circuitboard, or a second semiconductor material. Its surface is covered bysome insulating, protective material 112, which has a window to expose asecond metallic contact pad 113. The preferred metal for contact pad 113is copper or a copper alloy in the thickness range from about 10 to 30μm.

In a variation to FIG. 1, the first contact pad 103 may have over thecopper surface barrier metal layers 104 and 105. Preferably, layer 104is made of nickel in the thickness range from about 0.01 to 3 μm, andlayer 105 is made of gold in the thickness range from about 0.3 to 1 μm.In another variation, the second copper contact pad 113 may have on it abarrier layer, preferably made of 0.01 to 3 μm thick nickel, followed bylayer, preferably made of 0.3 to 1 μm gold.

In FIG. 1, the second contact pad is positioned opposite the firstcontact pad. A body 120 of solder is in contact with the first andsecond pad, thus connecting the two pads. The solder of body 120 is analloy, which includes the following metals:

Tin in the amount of about 95.5 to about 99.49 weight percent; silver inthe amount of about 0.5 to about 4.0 weight percent; and at least onemetal from the transition groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA ofthe Periodic Table of the Elements in the amount of about 0.01 to about0.5 weight percent.

As an incoming piece part, the original solder body exhibits asubstantially uniform distribution of the constituents of the alloy.After solder reflow, however, the transition metal weight percent in thesolder regions near the contact pads is less than that of the transitionmetal weight percent in the center regions of the solder body, incertain structures, by more than half.

The metals in the transition group IIIA include scandium, yttrium, andlanthanum; the metals in the transition group IVA include titanium,zirconium, and hafnium; the metals in the transition group VA includevanadium, niobium, and tantalum; the metals in the transition group VIAinclude chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten; the metals in the transitiongroup VIIA include manganese and rhenium; and the metals in thetransition group VIIIA include iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium,palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum.

When solder body 120 is liquefied and then solidified to be attached tothe contact pad 103, a layer of intermetallic compounds forms betweenthe pad 103 and the solder 120. The compounds, as will be shown in thefollowing figures, include grains of copper/tin and copper/silver/tincompounds, such as (CuX)₆Sn₅, Sn₃Ag, and Ag₃Sn, wherein X is atransition metal from the solder body. The inclusion of the transitionmetals in the compound grains reduces the compound grain size and thecompound layer thickness. Furthermore, in repeated cycles of liquefyingand solidifying, the compound grains that include the transition metalsremain reproducible, which means, the grains sizes do not growsignificantly after repeated solid/liquid/solid cycles.

When solder body 120 is again liquefied and then solidified in order tobe attached to the second contact pad 113, another layer ofintermetallic compounds forms between the second pad and the solder. Thecompounds again include tin/silver, copper/tin and copper/silver/tincompounds, and the incorporation of the transition metals again reducesthe compound grain size and the compound layer thickness. Further, thegrain sizes remain reproducible.

One possible explanation of this phenomenon is that when atoms of thetransition metals are joining an intermetallic grain, they replace atomsin the compound grain, for instance copper atoms in compounds containingcopper. In this metallic binding process, the transition metalscontribute one or more of their electrons to the electron “gas” in themetal; as a consequence, the attractive force of their nucleus becomesstronger and the diameter of the metal atom decreases as a result. TheTABLE in the appendix displays the metals in the transition groups ofthe Periodic System of the Elements and the incomplete electron shellsand the number of potentially contributable electrons.

Microphotographs of exemplary compounds of applicant's experiment arereproduced in the Figures, which show: a top view microphotograph aftercompound formation (first solder reflow), magnification 2000×; a crosssection of the compound to show the layer of intermetallic compounds,3000×; a top view microphotograph of the intermetallic compound afterfour solder reflows, magnification 2000×, and a cross section showingthe layer of intermetallic compounds, 3000× after the reflows. To obtainthe top views of the compound layers, the solder was first removed bysanding, then the surfaces were etched by chemical (Meltex HN-980M) andcleaned with ultrasonic cleaning.

FIG. 2 illustrates the intermetallic, compound Sn₃Ag formed withtin/silver solder without incorporating transition metals. Comparing thecompound grains after only 1 reflow, FIGS. 2A and 2B, and the compoundgrains after 4 reflows, 2C and 2D, it is evident that there is asignificant increase in grain size in proportion to the number ofreflows. Since this increasing of intermetallic compound grain sizeleads to a mechanical weakening of the solder joint, these resultsindicate that devices, which use such intermetallic compounds, are morelikely to fail reliability tests such as the drop test.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, 3C, and 3D depict the intermetallic compound Sn₃AgCu.Comparing the compound grains after only 1 reflow, 3A and 3B, and thecompound grains after 4 reflows, 3C and 3D, it is evident that there isa significant increase in grain size after the reflows—a result withundesirable consequences from a device reliability standpoint. Relatedcompounds such as Sn₃Ag_(0.7)Cu, Sn₃Ag_(0.5)Cu, Sn₃Ag_(0.3)Cu, andSn₃Ag_(0.1)Cu showed similarly undesirable grain size increases afterrepeated solid/liquid/solid solder cycles.

Forming a uniform ternary alloy by adding, for instance, nickel—a metalof the transition group VIIIA, leads to the exemplary compoundSn₃Ag_(0.01)Ni displayed in FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D. Comparing theintermetallic compound in FIGS. 4A and 4B, with the tin/silver compoundin FIGS. 2A and 2B, and the tin/silver/copper compound in FIGS. 3A and3B, it clearly shows that the addition of nickel reduces the size of theintermetallic grain. The comparison of FIGS. 4C and 4D with FIGS. 2C, 2Dand 3C, 3D further highlights the fact that repeated reflow cycles havelittle effect on the transition-metal compound grain size; it increasesonly insignificantly after 4 solid/liquid/solid cycles. This stabilityof the intermetallic compound grain size leads the enhancement of themechanical strength of solder joints. Devices with solder joints havingsuch intermetallic compounds more likely will pass reliability testssuch as the drop test.

The ternary compound Sn₃Ag_(0.03)Ni illustrated in FIG. 5 carries thebeneficial effects of the nickel addition one step further. ComparingFIG. 5 with FIG. 4 shows that the compound grain size of Sn₃Ag_(0.03)Niis even smaller and does not change or increase after four or morereflow cycles. The trend to smaller grin size and cycle insensitivitycontinues with the ternary compound Sn₃Ag_(0.05)Ni.

Another exemplary transition group VIIIA is Platinum and a correspondingintermetallic compound is Sn₃Ag_(0.05)Pt.

An exemplary transition group VIIA metal is cobalt and FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C,and 6D illustrate the desirable effect obtained by the incorporatingcobalt in the intermetallic compound formed at the interface oftin/silver alloy and the copper pad. As FIGS. 6A and 6B shows, the sizeof the resulting Sn₃Ag_(0.03)Co grain is small. Furthermore, repeatedreflow cycles do not cause any significant change of the grain size, asillustrated by the grain microphotographs in FIGS. 6C and 6D after 4solid/liquid/solid cycles.

Applicant also investigated counter-examples, especially alloyscontaining one or more metals from the transition groups IB, IIB, IIIB,IVB, and VB.

As an example, FIGS. 7A, 7B, 7C, and 7D illustrate the impact by theelement zinc from the transition group IIB. The compound displayed isSn₃Ag_(0.1)Zn; similar results hold for Sn₃Ag_(0.005)Zn. Comparing thecompound grains after only 1 reflow, 7A and 7B, and the compound grainsafter 4 reflows, 7C and 7D, it is evident that there is a significantincrease in grain size in after the reflows.

As stated above, a significant increase of the intermetallic compoundgrain size after repeated solid/liquid/solid solder cycles leads tomechanical weakening of the solder joint, resulting in high failurerates in device reliability tests. A possible explanation for theunfavorable results using transition metals of the groups IIB, IIIB,IVB, and VB is the tendency of elements with a high number of electronsin the unfilled shell to add electrons for completing the shell ratherthan releasing electrons to the electron “gas” in the metal. By addingelectrons, the attractive force of the metal nucleus becomes weaker andcauses an increase of the diameter of the metal atom. The atomicdiameter increase, in turn, causes an increase of the intermetalliccompound, which has incorporated the transition metal.

Similarly undesirable results were obtained from applicant's experimentswhen ternary solder alloys contain a metal from the group IIIB, such asaluminum or indium. Exemplary intermetallic compounds areSn₃Ag_(0.05)Al, Sn₃Ag_(0.1)In, Sn₃Ag_(0.2)In, and Sn₃Ag_(0.3)In.

Large intermetallic compound increases after repeated reflow cycles werealso observed for group IVB element germanium and corresponding compoundSn₃Ag_(0.05)Ge, group VB element phosphorus and corresponding compoundSn₃Ag_(0.003)P, and group VB element antimony and corresponding compoundSn₃Ag_(0.3)Sb and Sn₃Ag_(0.5)Sb.

Another embodiment of the invention is a stacked semiconductor devicethat includes multiple unit devices. One exemplary device 800 isdepicted schematically in FIG. 8. The bottom device, also referred to asthe first device, is designated 810, and the top device, also referredto as the second device, is designated 820.

First device 810 includes a substrate 801, which has a first surface 801a and a second surface 801 b. Substrate 801 is preferably made of aninsulating material; it may also be a laminated substrate composed ofalternating films of insulating and conducting materials. For manydevice applications, the preferred thickness of substrate 801 isapproximately 0.3 mm. On the first substrate surface 801 a is asemiconductor chip 802 assembled; more than one chip may be soassembled. In some products, the chip may be a stack of two or morechips. For wire-bonded devices, the assembly includes the attachment ofthe chip to first surface 801 a using an adhesive, and the electricalconnection 804 of the chip contact pads to the bond pads 805 on surface801 a. For flip-chip devices, the assembly includes the mechanical andelectrical connection of the chip to contact pads to surface 801 a usingsolder elements.

A first plurality (for instance: 140 to 160) of copper contact pads 803is positioned on the first substrate surface 801 a to surround theassembled chip. A second plurality (for instance: 440 to 460) of coppercontact pads 806 is on the second substrate surface 801 b. A solder body807 (for instance, 30 μm diameter) is attached to each pad 806 of thesecond plurality of pads. In FIG. 8, portions of the assembled deviceare packaged in encapsulation 808. When only one chip is used for device810, the total thickness of the packaged device, including solderelements 807, is preferably about 0.8±0.1 mm.

FIG. 8 shows a second device 820 that includes a substrate 811 withfirst surface 811 a and second surface 811 b. For many deviceapplications, the preferred thickness of substrate 811 is approximately0.3 mm. In FIG. 8A a stack of two semiconductor chips 812 a and 812 bare depicted as assembled on the first substrate surface 811 a. On thesecond substrate surface 811 b are copper contact pads 813 positioned tomatch the first pad plurality 803 of the first device 810. A solder body817 is attached to each pad 813 on the second substrate surface. In FIG.8, portions of the assembled device are packaged in encapsulationcompound 816. When two chips are used for device 820, the totalthickness of the packaged device, including solder elements 817, ispreferably about 0.9±0.1 mm.

The second device 820 is aligned with the first device 810 so that eachsolder body 817 attached to a second substrate pad 813 of the seconddevice 820 is in contact with, and connected to, the corresponding pad803 of the first plurality of the first device 810.

The solder bodies 807 and 817 in this exemplary embodiment are ternaryalloys, which include tin in the amount of about 95.5 to about 99.49weight percent; silver in the amount of about 0.5 to about 4.0 weightpercent; and one metal from the transition groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA,VIIA, and VIIIA of the Periodic Table of the Elements in the averageamount of about 0.01 to about 0.5 weight percent; more than onetransition metal may be included in the alloy. After reflow, the weightpercent of the transition metal in the solder regions near the contactpads is less than the weight percent in the center regions of the solderbody, by one half, in many cases.

The metals in the transition group IIIA include scandium, yttrium, andlanthanum; the metals in the transition group IVA include titanium,zirconium, and hafnium; the metals in the transition group VA includevanadium, niobium, and tantalum; the metals in the transition group VIAinclude chromium, molybdenum, and tungsten; the metals in the transitiongroup VIIA include manganese and rhenium; and the metals in thetransition group VIIIA include iron, cobalt, nickel, ruthenium, rhodium,palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum.

A layer of intermetallic compounds forms between each copper pad andsolder body after a reflow; the compounds include grains of copper/tinand copper/silver/tin compounds, such as Sn₃Ag, Ag₃Sn, (CuX)₆Sn₅ andothers, wherein X is a transition metal from the solder body. Thecompounds and the grains are formed, when, in the process of attaching,the solder bodies are liquefied and then solidified.

For the stacked device shown in FIG. 8, at least threesolid/liquid/solid cycles may be needed. They include attaching solderelements 817 onto substrate pads 813 of second device 820 (a processstep in the fabrication method of second device 820) and attachingsecond device 820 onto first device 810 by reflowing solder bodies 817 asecond time. Solder bodies 817 of the second device are aligned with thematching substrate pads 803 of the first device, and brought intocontact with pads 803 and reflowed.

In this process embodiment, the stacked device 800 is created by joiningfirst device 810 and second device 820, and attaching solder elements807 onto the substrate pads 806 of first device 810 (a process step inthe fabrication method of first device 810).

In these three solid/liquid/solid cycles, the solder bodies of thesecond device undergo three reflow processes.

When the transition metals mentioned above are incorporated in thecompound grains, they reduce the compound grain size and thus thecompound layer thickness; they also render the compound grain sizereproducible in consecutive solder solid/liquid/solid cycles.

When devices like the stacked semiconductor device of FIG. 8 aresubjected to reliability tests such as the drop test, which investigatesthe mechanical robustness of solder-attached devices, the devices withsolder joints including transition metals in the intermetallic compoundsexhibit superior performance. The small-size grains of intermetalliccompounds, reproducible even after repeated solid/liquid/solid cycles,inhibit cracks of the joints or other solder delaminations.

In typical drop tests, the drop table is loaded to 1.5 G acceleration,the drop height is 1 m, and the printed circuit board is subjected to astrain with damped waveform for a duration of 30 ms and more. Drop testequipment is commercially available, for instance from Salon Teknopaja.

One exemplary method for fabricating a stacked semiconductor deviceincludes the following steps:

-   -   a. fabricating a first semiconductor device by providing a        substrate having two surfaces, assembling a semiconductor chip        or multiple chips on the first substrate surface; surrounding        the chip with a first plurality of copper contact pads, and        forming a second plurality of copper contact pads on the second        substrate surface;    -   b. fabricating a second semiconductor device by providing a        substrate with two surfaces, assembling one or more        semiconductor chip on the first substrate surface; positioned on        the second substrate surface copper contact pads to match the        pads of the first device;    -   c. selecting solder bodies that are substantially uniform alloys        including tin in the amount of about 95.5 to about 99.49 weight        percent, silver in the amount of about 0.5 to about 4.0 weight        percent, and at least one metal from the transition groups IIIA,        IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA of the Periodic Table of the        Elements in the amount of about 0.01 to about 0.5 weight        percent; and    -   d. attaching and reflowing the solder bodies to the pads on the        second substrate surface to create between each copper pad and        solder body a layer of copper intermetallic compounds that        incorporate the transition metal form the solder body;    -   e. aligning the second device with the first device so that each        solder body, attached to a second substrate pad of the second        device, is in contact with the corresponding first plurality pad        of the first device; and    -   f. reflowing the solder bodies to attach an alloy solder body to        each second plurality pad of the first device.

Another embodiment of the invention is an electronic system, whichincludes a device mounted on a substrate or board. FIG. 8 depicts suchan embodiment, in which the stacked device 800 is solder-attached on theprinted circuit board 830. The circuit board 830 has copper contact pads823 positioned to match the second plurality 806 of contact pads on thesubstrate of the first device 810. In the fabrication process of thesystem, the stacked semiconductor device 800 is aligned with circuitboard 830 so that each solder body 807, attached to the second pluralitypad 806 of first device 810, is in contact with the corresponding boardpad 823. The solder bodies 807 are then reflowed.

The attachment cycle is the fourth solid/liquid/solid cycle and thusmaybe the third reflow cycle for some solder elements in the system.Having transition metals from the above listed groups in theintermetallic grains of the solder system makes the electronic systemmore likely to pass drop tests and other reliability tests withacceptable rate of failure.

While this invention has been described in reference to illustrativeembodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in alimiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of theillustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention,will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to thedescription. As an example, more than two devices may be stacked tocreate a composite device. As another example, more than one metal fromthe transition groups of the Periodic System of the Elements may be usedin the solder alloy, creating a quaternary alloy etc. It is thereforeintended that the appended claims encompass any such modifications orembodiments.

1. A structure comprising: a first contact pad with a copper surface; asecond contact pad with a copper surface, the second contact padpositioned opposite the first contact pad; a body of solder in contactwith the first and second pads, the solder being an alloy including: tinin the amount of a first weight percent; silver in the amount of asecond weight percent; and at least one metal from the transition groupsIIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA of the Periodic Table of theElements in the average amount of about 0.01 to about 0.5 weightpercent, wherein the solder body near the first and the second contactpad has a third weight percent greater than zero percent and near thecenter of the solder body has a fourth weight percent higher than thethird weight percent; and a first layer of intermetallic compoundsbetween the first pad and the solder body, and a second layer ofintermetallic compounds between the second pad and the solder body; thecompounds including grains of copper and tin compounds and copper,silver, and tin compounds; and the compounds contain transition metals.2. The structure according to claim 1, in which the transition metal iscobalt.
 3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein the intermetalliccompounds include Sn3Ag, Ag3Sn, and (CuX)6Sn5, wherein X is thetransition metal.
 4. The structure according to claim 1 furthercomprising one or more barrier metal layers other than copper over atleast one of the copper contact pads.
 5. The structure according toclaim 4 wherein the barrier metal layers in contact with the copper padis a nickel layer and a gold layer.
 6. A semiconductor device comprisinga first device, a second device, solder bodies, and solder joints: thefirst device including: a substrate having a first surface and a secondsurface; at least one semiconductor chip assembled on the firstsubstrate surface; a first plurality of copper contact pads positionedto near the assembled at least one chip on the first substrate surface;a second plurality of copper contact pads on the second substratesurface; and a solder body attached to each pad of the second pluralityof copper contact pads; the second device including: a substrate havingfirst and second surfaces; at least one semiconductor chip assembled onthe first substrate surface; copper contact pads on the second substratesurface, positioned to match the first plurality of contact pads of thefirst device; and a solder body attached to each pad on the secondsubstrate surface; the second device aligned with the first device sothat each solder body attached to a second substrate pad of the seconddevice is in contact with, and connected to, the corresponding pad ofthe first plurality of the first device; the solder bodies being alloysincluding: tin in the amount of a first weight percent; silver in theamount of a second weight percent; and at least one metal from thetransition groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA of the PeriodicTable of the Elements in the average amount of about 0.01 to about 0.5weight percent, wherein the solder body near the first and the secondcontact pad has a third weight percent greater than zero and near thecenter of the solder body has a fourth weight percent greater than thethird weight percent; and the solder joint including a layer ofintermetallic compounds between each copper pad and the solder body, thecompounds including grains of copper and tin compounds and copper,silver, and tin compounds; and the intermetallic compounds including thetransition metals.
 7. The stacked device according to claim 6 whereinthe at least one semiconductor chip of the first device or the seconddevice is a stack of semiconductor chips.
 8. The device according toclaim 6 wherein the transition metals includes cobalt.
 9. The stackeddevice according to claim 6 wherein the intermetallic compounds includeSn3Ag, Ag3Sn, and (CuX)6Sn5, wherein X is the transition metal.
 10. Thedevice according to claim 6 further including encapsulations for atleast a portion of the assembled first and second devices.
 11. Anelectronic system comprising: a first semiconductor device, whichincludes: a substrate having first and second surfaces; at least onesemiconductor chip assembled on the first substrate surface; a firstplurality of copper contact pads on the first substrate surface near theassembled at least one chip; a second plurality of copper contact padson the second substrate surface; and a solder body attached to each padof the second plurality; a second semiconductor device, which includes:a substrate having first and second surfaces; at least one semiconductorchip assembled on the first substrate surface; copper contact pads onthe second substrate surface positioned to match the first pad pluralityof the first device; and a solder body attached to each pad on thesecond substrate surface; the second device aligned with the firstdevice so that each solder body attached to a pad on the secondsubstrate surface of the second device is in contact with thecorresponding pad of the first plurality of the first device; a circuitboard having copper contact pads positioned to match the second padplurality of the first device; the first device aligned with the circuitboard so that each solder body attached to a second substrate pad of thefirst device is in contact with the corresponding pad of the board; thesolder bodies being alloys including: tin in the amount of a firstweight percent; silver in the amount of a second weight percent; and atleast one metal from the transition groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, VIIA, andVIIIA of the Periodic Table of the Elements in the average amount ofabout 0.01 to about 0.5 weight percent, wherein the solder body near thefirst and the second contact pad has a third weight percent greater thanzero and near the center of the solder body has a fourth weight percentgreater than the third weight percent; and a layer of intermetalliccompounds between each copper pad and the solder body, the compoundsincluding grains of copper and tin compound and copper, silver, and tincompounds; the intermetallic compounds containing the transition metals.12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the at least onesemiconductor chip is a stack of semiconductor chips.
 13. The systemaccording to claim 11 wherein the transition metal is cobalt.
 14. Thesystem according to claim 11 wherein the intermetallic compounds includeSn3Ag, Ag3Sn, and (CuX)6Sn5, wherein X is the transition metal.